The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-28
ANNA OFFNER'S TRIAL
FOR THE MURDER OF nEE LOVER.

: FOR THE MURDER OF nER LOVER.
Tho Case Gonimcuced at Ronncy-- later.
esting development = Strong CIrcuna-,
ssantiai Evidence Against tho Fair \
prlsoucr-Ths AlcCausland Trial, sSs' iSay.,,
spteta! Di'patea 10 tie In.tllioenctr. H is8
RoMNRf, W. VA, Sept. s7.-The trial Q I
Anna e. OlTnor, young unmarried
woman, 20 years old, Of Gns personal at.
pearance and very respectable family, for
The killing OF hor paramour, Ben tamin
Brooks, near the residence Of her iathor,
Reuben 0dnsr, three miles cast OF this
place, on tho morning Of Sunday, August
IL 1850, was begun In the Circuit Court
hero to-day, hiu honor, Judge James D.
Armstrong, prealdiug, Brooks was about
85 years ot age, and trather good looking.
He came hero from ssaunton, Va, whore !;
1t was Haid he had wife and several
children. He madc his living by working
as a farm hand a good part Of the time for
Mr.. 0aner. He YVES generally conridered
rather hard character. -is N
This tria! was begun last Nav. but aa
The court and two OF the prisonor's cuuu.
sci were taken III on the third dsy. It WAS !.
postponed TILL this term. AZ II has been
the general opinion hers that tho ptiaoner
would be cleared, she has not been at all
closely confined at the is!l, being allowed
q good deal Of liberty, and sometimes nyen
appearing on tho atreet. Whom she up
peared In court this morning quietly, her
manner, which botokened tho deepea.
distress and the gresteat uncertsinty % 10
her probable fate, wss great surprise 10
oil acquainted with the circumstances OF
her case. States Attorney Daily is con-
ducting the prosecution alono. The de-
fsnse are Hon. F.. NJ. Reynolds, OF ksy.
ser; Senator Flournoy aud Colonel Alex
Monroe. Of this placs. Tho following
compose the Jury: John q. Lewis, Lor-
don K. Ackley, Edward Keller, john
Miller, jr., G. T. Michael. David Arnold,
J. r. Leath, Joseph NJ. Hiett, L. W. Kid
we'll, Thomas P. Brill, B. 7. Smith and
James W. Smith. The frat witness call
ed by the prosecution was Luther. A..
Heatwole. He testified that whiIo at Sun.
day School in Ebsnezsr church, shout
three miles east oirRomnoy, on the first
Sunday ot last August, he,, heard that
Benjamin Books body had beell found in
one Of Mr.. Diners fislds, about three
tourths OF mile from the church. Vert
there and saw Brooks dead body near the
top Of q hill in a large field near the edge
OF 8 pine thicket. Ss y
| SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
The body was lying Oh its buck with the
head down hill. Brooks had been shot in
the head. Saw fresh horse tracks near
the body, also some sticks Of candy. A
very heavy rain fell while he and others
were examining the ground around tho
scene Of the tragedy. About nineteen
yards from where tho body was lying,
| back in the thicket, was bed or impress
sion on the ground which appeared to
have been made by some one lying down.
Marks on the ground were noticed here,
| as though thoy had been made by aome
ones toes, knees and elbows. It 10 thought
that Bsooks had criminally known Ann
before che killed him, and this testimony
seems to confirm the theory. i,,r;15
Alaybetry Sanders visited the 'ecene OF
the murder about noon on the first Sun
day In August last. Brooks was ehot in
the left temple. His testimony was prin- 4
clpaliy abou: the tracks, marks, &C., found
near Brooke body. 5==,' ftG5'
peter bowman WAS going across Olner's
Held on the morning OF tha murder, whsn Z
ne heard pistol shot In thicket noar
by, and presently saw Ann OfInsr ride out
OF the bushes. She stopped when she
saw him, then turned aud rode on
toward her fathers house. She was rid
ing fast in Slope" Did not see any
cows In the field. y :;,ri 3-75=a{l, AZ I.,.5s's
Miss Susan Dornan, who Tas in OlTners
field with Mr.. Bowman On the morning
OF the murder when the report OF q reyol-
yer WAC heard in the thicket, and Ann
OGner WAS sean riding out Of the bushos.
fixes the time as $3.50, and says 1t was
i've or ten minutes atter the firing before
Ann appeared on tho scene. Bowman
said 1t was IL "A. NJ, and he saw Ann
coming out Of tho thicket in about half q
minute after he heard the report. TO- ,i2 81
John Sanders testified bout the marks.4
tracks, ETC., and said the horse evidently
wheeled around whom leaving the body.
THE M'CAUsLAND MURDER. asFl
New Evidence Adduoel-Sen Admitted to:
fHss5t54 " M Ball. - St55
WAYNRsnuRG. PA, Sept o7.---Ths hear
Ing in tho case OF James NeG, one OF the
men arrested for the murder Of William
McCaualand, which commenced yesterday
at noon, closed at 1880 P. N. to-day. H..
Many wltnssses were called and sworn
and the court room was packed with
anxious listeners all the time Of the trial,
The prosecution could produce no positive
evidence, but the circnmstantial ev!denc,
was strong against MIN. After the evil
dence WAS all in Captain James E. Savers
Addressed the court at length in .NetI's be-. 7
half, after which District Attorney Huss
responded for the Commonwealth. 'tIl3I \
The Judge then admitted ENef TO bail
in the sum Of $4,000. The hearing OF old
man CLARK commenced this afternoon. 4. :,
Sheriff Lsmley placed John s. Clark, 4
~, nephow Of the Clark already in i4il.
behind the bars today at 1886 It was.
made known by reliable man, one OF
the witnesses yeuterday, when handed X
tho revolver, that he eaw John L. Clark.
Jr, put the Initials on the revolver about
six years ago, when working on inns
kiln for him. !! This is considered 'as boing.
the most important link Of evidence found
yet, and will undoubtedly be the means
OF finding the guilty party. Thu men now
under grrest ars no doubt aware of who
the guilty parties arc II they are not ac-
complicas. It is said that tho IN on arrest
ed to-day will waive hearing and await J
the action Of the grand jury aa court con.
yeaes in about week. ~ 55ll5sRsl IS. l a,
ny FOUGHT THE POLICE.
Several Aeada Cracked During IN Eviction